1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to medical stress measuring systems and in particular to a nuclear cardiac imaging stress table.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of medical instrumentation is available to the modern physician to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of his patients. One well known method of patient care is the use of gamma-ray scanning, wherein a patient is exposed to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the decay of a radioactive substance and an image is obtained therefrom. Such scanning, or imaging, requires that the patient be kept generally motionless. In the past, the patient was merely placed on a flat table to support him while the camera was moved about to obtain different images. Because the gamma-ray cameras are typically large and difficult to move, imaging tables of the prior art were adapted to be pivotally supported upon a frame so as to perit the bed to rotate relative to the camera. Another form of patient care is stress testing. Stress testing is a common method of evaluating the cardiac system of a patient. During such a test, a patient is put under stress, typically by exercising on a treadmill, while his cardiac and respiratory functions are monitored by the physician.